May 25, 1967 Thurs.
Up early as we leave at 7:00 A.M. Clerk at desk confides in Ray that Globus is known in the trade as the Speedy Gonzales tour. Zoom!!!
Getting dressed had interesting experience in bathtub - turned wrong faucet! Now on to Monte Carlo - Wonder if we'll see Grace? (Its Corpus Christi day today). We've just gone through the birthplace town of Puccini - Torri de Largo - Stopped at Lago Volsena for tea - skipped stories here a little chilly.
drive very dangerous mountain roads its raining too - drive along side - through them - through actual clouds!!! Weather turns rainy and colder and windy. Very exciting drive - rocking craddle effects tires eveything and makes them sleepy - first glimpse of Mediterranean and is rough and windy. This I think is Le Spezta. In mountains stop at Kon Tiki Hotel... Dinner. They have a beautiful spot overlooking the hotel. Had delightful ...capuccino and bought goodies to take with. Through Vitery - Santa Rosa where two popes stayed - Miranare Hotel Very famous place - Rapollo Elizabeth of Austria came here - her son Rudolph got himself (Mayerling) - Italian Riviera - Zzar of Russia used to come before WWI - Spotosno for lunch on the Riviera - ...flowers never such beauties...mentioned we crossed the boarder to France - on to Monaco.
p.s. Torre delazo - Puccini born here
Monaco - fairy tale place - Palm Beach with rolling mountains. Palace is lovely.
Note: drive through mountains in side - but some - along - lower slopes - clouds - hair raising.
Hotel in Monaco absolutely rock bottom lousy. Instead of going up to room we go dinner 2 or 3 flights to our fine room, although we have 3 beds. No sleep. Sun in eyes at 4:30 am restaurant in hotel open yet. We breakfast.